Up to 700,000 visitors will arrive for 2012 Olympics

[richard]

Britain can expect up to 700,000 visitors arriving for the London 2012 0lympic Games it has emerged.

The UK Border Agency is preparing to receive between 600,000 and 700,000 visitors.

They believe that some visitors who would normally come to Britain will delay their visits but do not know how many.

The figures were revealed by Tony Smith, senior director of the Olympic programme for the UKBA.

In a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, Mr Smith said there would be 70,000 people arriving with Olympic passes as members of teams, their supporters and officials.

Of those 20,000 would normally need visas but will their passes will allow them entry to the country.

Mr Smith said there would be biometric tests for those individuals as they arrive with special lanes set asside at airports.

"We will be sharing data with the intelligence and security services and with the Serious and Organised Crime Agency so we will have every opportunity to identify any serious threat."

He said the Olympic authorites would then be informed. "It will be the same as though they have a visa," he added.

UKBA is training up to 470 volunteers and drawing on another 500 officers not normally on the front line or who have recently retired to add to their current staff of 4,500.

Visitors to the Olympic Park may be banned from taking drinks in as part of airport style security which will also ban bags larger than 25 litres and subject all visitors to bag scans and metal detectors.

Organisers say there will be a maximum waiting time of 26 minutes.

Ian Thomas, heard of security for the Olympic organising committee in London said that the decision on what will be allowed has yet to be taken.

Tower Bridge will have Olympic rings hung from it and seven bridges along the Thames will be lit up.

The Paralympic symbol will be hung outside the National Gallery, Vincent Fihosy from the Greater London Authority said.

All the London boroughs have been given funding to hang Olympic banners, he added.

"If you are going to throw a party, you have to get dessed up," he said.


Source
By Duncan Gardham
Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph - Telegraph

[richard]

What hasn't been mentioned is that upwards of a million people are intending to fly out of the UK on their holidays and avoid the chaos